Boar hunting season opens

BENGKULU, Bengkulu: Governor Adjis Achmad officially sounded the call to the hunt on Wednesday for dozens of marksmen from Jakarta, saying that the wild boars they are after are the cause of human poverty.

"Boars can impoverish rural people because they devour entire village crops," Adjis Achmad said during a ceremony signaling the departure for the hunt of 178 sharpshooters in a convoy of 112 cars.

The hunters are from the Association of Sharpshooters (Perbakin Jaya) and the Trans Shooting Club, both of Jakarta, the Antara news agency reported.

Heading the hunting trip is Bunawidjaja of Perbakin Jaya and Lt. Col. Namin of the Trans Shooting Club.

The sharpshooters split into four groups for the hunting trip, which will last until Dec. 6. One convoy went to Muko-Muko district, one to Manna, a third to Seluma and another to Ketahun. (emb)